Improvement in coal-elevator



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCEo JOHN P. TUCKER, OF SOUTH READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COAL-ELEVATOR.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,557, dated June 12, ISGG.

To all whom 'it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, JOHN P. TUCKER, of South Reading, in the county of Middlesex and State ot' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful or Improved Goal-Elevator; and I do hereby declare the saine to be fully described in the following specification and represented in the accompanying drawing, which is a perspective View ot' a coal elevating and discharging apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention., the coal tub or scoop being represented in two positions, the black lines exhibit-in g it as restin g, or supposed to be resting, on the deck of avessel, and the red lilies showing it in its highest position, or as it appears while the coal is being dumped or discharged from it.

The nature of my invention is found in a improved apparatus for elevating and discharging coal from a vessel, the same consisting in combining with the ordinary gallowsframe, its inclined chute or discharging-spout, and its hoisting apparatus (or a pulley and line) certain devices whereby the coal tub or scoop is not only properly guided `in its ascent, butis rendered self-dischargin g, the same being substantially as hereinafter described.

It is a fact well known that the ordinary frame as now used in the process of discharging coal has a long horizontal platform projecting` from it at right angles and so as to extend toward or more or less over the deck of a vessel from which the coal is to be discharged, such platform being to support the two men required to direct and overset the tub, so as to properly empty the coal from it into the inclined chute.

The object of my invention or improvement is to dispense with the said platform and men and at the same time render the said tub selfdischarging.

In the said drawing, A represents the base or foundation, from which there extends upward two posts or timbers, B B, which are connected at their upper ends by a cap bar or beam, C, which is properly jointed or secured thereto. D is another cross-bar, which is jointed to the said posts B1B at a short distance below the cap-bar C.

E is an inclined chute, which may be so applied to the standards B B as to be capable of being' fixed at any desired inclination between them.

To the middle of the front part of the bar D an arm, E', is hinged, and projects downward over the inclined chute, and is supported in its proper position by means of curved braces or metallic struts, Gr G, which are hinged to the standards B B, as shown in the drawing, the free extremities of the said braces heilig made as hooks to enter the two eyes or staples projecting from opposite sides of the said arm E. The said arm E has a long rectangular passage or slot, l), formed longitudinally through it; and, furthermore, the arm E has a curved metallic bar, H, projecting downward from its under side, such bar having a hook or tripper, c, applied to it, as shown in the drawing.

L is the coalbucket. J is what I term the directory as it serves, in conjunction with the slot b, to guide or conduct the coal tub to the tripper and over the inclined chute. This director consists of a thin plate of metal of an elliptical shape, and has its lower end termi` hating in a hook to hook into an eye formed in the bail ot" the tub L. The said director has also two shoulders or projections, d d, eX- tending at right angles from its body portion, as seen in the drawing. These shoulders, acting against the under surface of the arm E', serve to guide the coal-tub when filled with coal into the proper position to be caught by the tripper and dumped into the chute.

K denotes the hoisting-rope, which is attached at one of its ends to the director J, from whence it extends up through the passage b, thence up to and around a pulley, o, suspended from the gallows-frame, or any other proper support, and passes down to and through an eye, or, what is better, around a pulley disposed on the base A, and from thence is carried and properly connected with the motive power.

In operating with my approved apparatus, it' we suppose the tub to be filled with coal and resting on the deck of a vessel and power to be applied to the rope so as to raise the said tub, the latter will ascend untilthe upper end of the director may come in contact with the sides of the slot b, when, should the front end of the director not be in a proper position to I claim- The combination of the slotted arin E', the curved lever H, provided with the tripper c, the director J, the scoop I, and the rope K with the gallows-frame and its dischargingchute, the Whole being arranged and made to operate substantially as above set forth.

JOHN P. TUCKER.

Witnesses IsAAo F. EATON, D. B. OLIVER. 

